A Great Way to Promote Your Book . . . Or

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine 

Many authors are not comfortable trying to influence people to buy their books. So, what does an author do?

Promote another author’s book. Yes, you heard right.

When having lunch with a friend or coffee–– visiting, getting up to date on each other, why not bring up the subject of a book you’ve just read. Tell them how much you enjoyed the book; point out tidbits of interest. Maybe share how you didn’t want to put it down. Perhaps you hated for it to end because you fell in love with the characters, the story. Your word of mouth can prompt your friend to buy another author’s book.

The nice part of this, you are helping a fellow author. You’re not out on an island by yourself. And it is okay to promote other authors and their work.

One of the things authors could do, is to help each other. Try it. If you know an author, talk to them about being a partner with you. They promote your book and you will promote their book.

Here are some ways you can promote another author and they can promote you:

Each write a blog post about each other’s book. Tell your readers why you like the book. How you felt reading the book; about a character that stuck out in your mind and the qualities or traits that meant a lot to you. Use emotion to describe the characters, the book. Tell just enough to get their interest. “Don’t give away the ending.”

Invite each other to visit on your blogs, and ask questions about the writing of the book.

Put a copy of each other’s book on the websites and/or blogs, and link the books to the Amazon page.

Another thing you can do, each of you send emails to your friends, telling them about a book you just read. Why you thought it was great. Peak their interest in the author. Share enough emotion that will lead them to want to get the book.

If you know how, put the photo of the cover of the book, title, and link it to the Amazon page or the author’s website.

I would much rather have one of my friends tell me about a book they enjoyed and recommended, wouldn’t you? Then I feel it is worth my buying.

There is an old saying, the more you help people get what they want the more you will get what you want. The point––helping someone else first.

Now find an author friend and pair up helping each other promote each other’s books. Just think…when you get this working between just you two then you can add a third author to your group, then a fourth and, well you get the picture.

Happy Promoting!